Hunted Souls
by neeki
Summary: AU K&K Kenshin and Kaoru are slaves under the tyrant Shishio. Kenshin is more Battousai in this one, and he kills. He vows to escape, set the rest of the slaves loose, kill Shishio, and protect Kaoru with his life. Chapter 6
1. That Day When Two's Fates Were Sealed

Disclaimer- Don't own RK, never will, don't sue.

This is RK, with a little tinge of Redwall in it. I know I'm not all that good, but try giving this fic a shot.

à To readers of Dreams, GOMEN NASAI! I have absolutely no time to finish the sequel. ^^' I'm around halfway done, and if any of you feel like whacking me to the moon and back, feel free…this extremely unworthy one deserves it.ß

Chapter One à The warrior and the tyrant

When foam-iced waves crash upon the shore,

Of one such abandoned island's bay.

It tells the story of the past, never to happen once more.

It will begin from one fateful day,

The day the white tyrant collared the red-amber warrior,

And the she-wolf harnessed to the sled.

Both comets cross paths, in passionate rapture,

In a time where the rivers ran red. 

The serene shore of the present where gulls cry and wheel,

Broke to a different cry, when two slaves' fates were sealed…

            The ship docked at an island harbor, where stood a huge fortress on the crest of a hill. An enraged roar rang from the deck of the ship. Over twenty men, armed with thick sticks, were trying to control a small, red-haired man. The man was chained, and had shackles on his ankles and wrists. While the small army of people was trying to restrain the fighting demon, four more men led a long chain of captives out. Even with the heavy, restricting cuffs on his body, the warrior managed to knock out five men, and keep the rest busy until the ship was fully unloaded. They had finally managed to beat him into exhaustion, and lash his neck painfully to the chains covering his wrists, making it impossible for him to see anything except his feet and the ground.

            The slaving ship had landed on a little inland bay a week ago, and had taken the inhabitants of the small fishing town on it's banks there by surprise. They had taken all the able-bodied people as slaves, and killed all the rest. They looted the village and burned the place down. With the heat of the flames died the freedom of the captives.

             They had problems with the redhead ever since they rushed the village. He had killed over twenty-five of their men, and had seriously injured twelve on board the ship. Even though they had taken his weapon, a katana, away, he still excelled in hand-to-hand combat, and threw random blasts of ki at any enemy that came within range. The captain had later found out that he was a top-notch swordsman. The only reason why the warrior was kept alive was because of the lord that ruled over the island.

            The line of new slaves were dragged past a group of old ones. The warrior was still struggling, and needed the fifteen men to tow him to the fortress. A pair of sapphire eyes watched him, following his slow ascent to the gates of the castle. He was taken in, the gates shut, and the azure eyes looked away.

            The warrior was thrown at the feet of the ruler of the island. The redhead's fifteen captors bowed, saluted and proclaimed in unison, "We salute you, Lord Shishio!"

            The chosen spokesman spoke up, "Lord, the slave before you has killed twenty-five, fatally injured twelve, and put five more out of action. However, he is an excellent swordsman, and has incredible strength, for his size. We would have him killed if not for that, and we thought such qualities might be of use to you. I await your judgment, lord!"   

            Shishio looked down at the captive warrior, and smirked, "Name, slave?" The redhead lifted his head, despite the chains cutting into his neck, revealing piercing amber eyes.

            "Himura Kenshin, Iyou/I lord of the bastards." He replied, his voice menacing. The slaver who spoke to Shishio hit him roughly over the head with a stick, and the warrior leapt up, headbutting his assailant. The slaver dropped to the ground like a stone.

            "So then, Himura Kenshin, how would you like to be an officer in my army? You would be given your own quarters, pay, food, and women. If you had rather not, there is always the slave compound, and much work, more pain, and a hell of a lot less food. That would take care of your dirty mouth." 

            "I would rather die that serve you!" Kenshin roared, sending a powerful blast of ki in Shishio's direction. The island king shook it off, and ordered him locked up, with no food and little water for the next few days.

            Kenshin was hauled off to the slave compound, and thrown into a dark cell. The shackles were taken off, all except for his feet, which were now bound together by a long chain. He lunged at the slavers, making them scurry to the door and lock it. He tensed up again, as he sensed the presence of another person in the pitch-black prison.

Awful? I'm not too sure if I should continue this, so let me know, k? I know I'm being so awful to Kenshin ***sobs*** but its gonna get better for him, especially once he finds out who is sharing his cell ^^x

Extreeeeemmmllllyyy short chappie, I know, but I have a tremendous amount of work, and would like to see if anyone likes it.

Again, gomengomengomengomen to everybody who is waiting for the sequel to Dreams. I will have it out, at the latest….June 10th ***sweatdrop***

Review, or you will feel the wrath of my fluffy, 5 kilogram giant angora rabbit! (You have no idea how cute she is!) 


	2. Timelines Intersect

Disclaimer- Don't own RK, never will, don't sue.

This is RK, with a little tinge of Redwall in it. I know I'm not all that good, but try giving this fic a shot.

The two with timelines cross doth meet,

Intelligible destiny, ironic as it seems,

Brought them together through the crushing of dreams.

More alike people enter the stage,

Those who quietly hide their timeless rage.

As the new fire is kindled create,

Of secret love and burning hate…

Haunted Souls Chapter 2

_from the last chapter---_

_            'Kenshin was hauled off to the slave compound, and thrown into a dark cell. The shackles were taken off, all except for his feet, which were now bound together by a long chain. He lunged at the slavers, making them scurry to the door and lock it. He tensed up again, as he sensed the presence of another person in the pitch-black prison.'_

            He spun around, the chains at his feet slowing him with their clanking weight. He snarled as a soft voice spoke to him, such a contrast to the screaming and cursing he had heard that day. "Shhhh…you'll wake the guards, and the people next door." The same pair of sapphire eyes he had seen when he was dragged to the castle were gazing at him now.

            "You!" he uttered, "Why…why are you here?" He stared at the girl standing before him.

            "Me?" she laughed, "I practically live here. My most recent offense would be attacking, and almost fatally injuring, an officer who was supervising the repair of a demolished wall." She raised an eyebrow at Kenshin, "And you would be the warrior they caught at the fishing village. Anata namae ka?"

            "Ore? Himura Kenshin."

            "Atashi wa Kamiya Kaoru." She sighed, saying, "Well, you look tired, not surprisingly. Bet they made you a galley slave on the ship. Terrible isn't it? We have a long day tomorrow hauling blocks of stone for the wall, so get some rest."

            Kaoru led him to a heap of straw on the dusty ground. Kenshin flopped down, glad for the 'bed'. Kaoru lay next to him, both keeping the other warm. Even though the island had the tropical heat during the day, it underwent a metamorphosis during the night, transforming the place into an icy hellhole. The two instinctively cuddled together for the entire night, each comforting the other with their presence.

The next morning, they were awakened by the two guards that had noisily swung open the cell door. Kenshin jumped up with a snarl, and stood in front of Kaoru. She calmed him with a gentle hand on his shoulder. She whispered to him, "They will have you killed if anything else happens. Its safer to play nice for the net few weeks."

With hearing that, they both obediently followed the two slavers out into the stone mine. 

The strongest, and usually the most disobedient and troublemakers were sent out to work mining stone to build the walls of the fortress. The job was also the most hazardous and tiring. The walls of the mineshafts could collapse at anytime, and the blocks of stone were roughly eighty kilograms each. It took two to three people to carry one, and the slavers took fun in curling and snapping their whips around the slaves' ankles. 

Luckily, both Kenshin and Kaoru were given the job of cutting the stone into large blocks, the least dangerous and exhausting of all the workstations at the stone mines. They worked with a tall man, who wore a red bandanna and had spiked hair. Kaoru seemed extremely familiar with him, so Kenshin did not worry too much about her, although he did watch him with slightly narrowed eyes.

Since the supervisors were constantly watching them, the trio did not make any conversation, instead waiting for the relief to come along. It usually took the new supervisors ten minutes to get there, giving them plenty of time to talk and rest for a bit.

The switch came, and Kaoru immediately introduced the man. "Kenshin, this is Sagara Sanosuke. He is my childhood friend, so stop giving him that weird look. Sano, that's Himura Kenshin, my cellmate." 

Sanosuke grinned (an- remember his famous Zanza grin?), "Hey, I saw you give the slaving ship a hell of a time. Great job. I'm your neighbor, so I heard the entire racket last night. I heard you even got an audience with that (insert the worst curse you can think of right here) Shishio. Hope you tipped him off somewhat."

Kenshin replied with a laugh, "Definitely, which explains why I am here talking to you." He decided that he liked Sano.

The new guard came, and they stopped talking and started work again. The rest of the day passed without any significant events, and they were led back to the dark prison.

Kenshin and Kaoru found a bowl of watery soup and nothing else. Shishio was right about the food. They ate in an exhausted silence, both tired out of any conversation capabilities. Kenshin noticed Kaoru wince as she flexed her right hand. "Kaoru, daijoubu ka?"

She smiled back at him, "Daijoubu desu! I just pulled a muscle, don't worry." Kenshin gently took her arm and stroked the painful spot, caressing away the pain. She looked into his eyes, and found that previous, fiery amber hue and changed into a softer violet shade. 

"Kenshin, your eyes…" she murmured as her other hand reached up to touch his cheek. She ran her hand over a newly-healed scar on his left cheek. It was a thin cut that started at the base of his ear, and ended below his mouth. "Did they give this to you when you were captured?"

He nodded, fatigue suddenly taking over his body. He flopped down on the pile of straw, and fell asleep immediately.

Kaoru moved close to him, and stroked his hair. It seemed amazing to her that she had only met him last night, yet she cared so much for him. She did not know very much of his background, yet she felt a sense of security and trust whenever he was near her. 

Kaoru lay down beside him, and snuggling up to his warmth, gave herself to sleep.

AN- Second chapter! Haha, wasn't that fast? This one is a teensy bit longer…I'm so tired lately though, what with extra classes and choral rehearsals and trying to clear up more space in my C drive. Haaaiiizzz….

Kay Kylo- You like Redwall! Cool! Its kinda hard to find a person who loves both Redwall and Rk!!! Well, here is Kaoru, and Sano. I'm still trying to think of where to put everybody else. *sheepish grin*

IsleofSolitude- See? I updated soon soon soon!! Hahahaha….I'm kinda weirdish today, both tired and hyper at the same time. ^^' Thanks for the reeaaallyy enthusiastic review, lol ^^x

Ferai- Yup, you're right! Kaoru is sharing his cell and she did do something awful to the slavers. You can read minds. So glad you like it so much and hope you like this chapter. 

Megumi- I know, I wish I could write long chapters too. My reviewer thank-yous are probably going to be longer than the chapter itself! I took your suggestion about Sano being in the next cell, arigatou!

Lola- Not continuing is definitely out of the picture now. *grins* Haha, I'll try to update as often as I can, ok? My fluffy, heavy bunny is now eating her dinner, and I won't sic her on you, relax  ^^x

Bomagt- Thanks! I'll update as often as I can. I'm so happy people like my fic. ^^

Kitsune Magic- ^^ Yup, bunnies can be sweet and very nasty as well. Mine ignores me if I am late feeding her o_O  Animals, *sigh* Haha, sometimes my bunny lies on my feet while I'm at my computer, she's too heavy to sit on my shoulder.

Merryday- Thanks for the review. The next chapter is here! *drumroll*

Faerie-chan- Thanks for the review, so glad you like the fic. ^^

I won't tell- Thanks for the review, I'm honoured that you like the fic so much. ^^x

Lere- I'll update as fast as I can. Its definitely different, and I've been toying with this idea for a while, until I managed to find the time to write it. ^^'

Kao- Thanks for the review! I probably won't change anything, unless I find any editing mistakes. Errgg… I'm a horrible editor.

anonymous- Well, here is their meeting! It was kind of rushed and non-descriptive though. Not sure how people will like it. ^^'

Renaissance1477- Thanks for the great comments! Glad you think so much of my story ^^

Animegirl- Did you guess right? I wrote more as soon as I could XD Kenshin will get to kill more people once he….whoops…I shouldn't give the plot away….

Mae- Your review gives me an idea, hope you don't mind. Nothing really awful is going to happen to Kaoru, just a bit of harassment, and guess who will come to the rescue?

Pretty Luthien- I won't keep you waiting for too long, I plan to get a chapter out every week or so. I'll keep writing XD

Legato- Yup! Battousai is too hot *drools* those amber eyes….glad you like the fic, and thanks for the review!

MP- ^^ Everybody should have an angora bunny, they are just too cute. *huggles her bunny* they are kind of big for rabbits though ^^' mine is huge! I'm definitely continuing, I've already planned most of the story out.


	3. Author's Notes

Konnichiwa, minna-san, My school, Shanghai American, has decided to end the year and start the summer holidays on May 30th, about a week earlier than we expected, due to the outbreak or SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). The teachers are really cramming us with work so we can finish the curriculum (except for Dunn-sensei, he already about finished ^^ Foong- sensei as well, except that I'm currently failing her class -_-') so I might not be able to write and post the next chapter for a while. Gomen ne, minna-san. don't kill me, and don't take away my fluffy bunny! *clings on to Dog* Yes, my bunny's name is Dog. She looks like a dog, acts like a dog, and eats like a dog, so I thought that the name suited her ^^ 


	4. As if Things Couldn't Get Any Worse

Sorry for the long wait, minna-san. I have two tests and a choral concert tomorrow, so this chapter might be a little short. I am also both trying to write and figure out the most important difference between a euglenoid and a dinoflagellate right now, so I may make a few errors. Gomen.              

_The blood-red ship sails on bloodstained seas,_

_While three are taken aboard and chained at the galleys._

_Survive this or not we will for our own eyes see,_

_For this will serve to further bind two together for eternity._

_We not know if and when to the island they return,_

_For fate will only know, as the sky turns auburn._

            Nothing unusual had happened for one long month at the island. Life continued to be hard for the slaves who toiled under the sun and rain. 

            Kenshin and Kaoru had grown immensely close in that month. Kaoru had helped him get over the loss of his village, and Kenshin had protected her from the leery advances of Shishio's soldiers.

~Backtrack~

_When love dampens amber eyes,_

_They lighten again when hidden passion rise._

_Passion awakes with the need to protect,_

_As two destined lovers their souls do connect._

_When two do show each other their hearts,_

_With that their life together starts._

            When they had been taken back to their cell a week ago, the soldiers had not immediately left, as per usual, but instead, one had pushed Kaoru down on the ground, while the other held Kenshin back. Despite his small size, Kenshin had fought his way out of the grip, and attacked the other man. 

The two guards beat a hasty retreat out, and locked the door behind them. They hauled their asses out of there, while Kenshin roared in his fury of not being able to properly finish them off. Kaoru had then soothed his anger, stroking his back, and reassuring him that she was all right, other than a little shaken. His eyes, which had turned a piercing amber, now had faded back into a gentle violet as he turned to hold her in his arms.

~Backtrack Ends~

            A dark green ship sailed over the horizon. Kenshin, Kaoru and Sanosuke, who were cutting the stone, watched the ship sail slowly towards the island. Suddenly, as the guards on duty noticed, they panicked, running towards the castle, shouting something about telling Lord Shishio.

            The slaves were quite surprised. It was the first time they had been left unattended out of the cells. The guards that had ran off remembered about their charges, and sent a few people back to send the slave back into the cells.

            When they were locked back in the dark prison, Sano, who was Kenshin and Kaoru's neighbour, told them about the green ship.

            "The captain of that ship is Shishio's enemy, Enishi. Enishi wants this island for it's resources, and Shishio won't share. This is the third time he has tried to conquer this land. He has failed so many times, since Shishio's army is too vast, and Enishi only has his crew as soldiers."

            Kenshin raised an eyebrow. "Oro…Will this be a good thing or a bad thing?"

            Sano replied, "It all depends. If Enishi's army manages to keep Shishio's busy, and general chaos is around, we might be able to steal a longboat and escape. However, if Enishi wins, we will most likely be turned into galley slaves."

            Kenshin winced, remembering the short time he had spent chained to the oars of Shishio's red ship. It was not enjoyable.

            As the green ship drew ever closer, it raised a white flag, a sign of peace. It was apparent that Enishi wanted to talk with Shishio. Sano quietly muttered a few curses under his breath. He explained to the other two, "What Shishio needs the most now is steel and iron. The ore mines (ore is raw iron or some kind of natural metal) on this island don't produce that much. I believe Enishi is going to offer him a steady supply of ore in exchange for the right to stop and take on supplies at his island. This might also mean Shishio giving him new galley slaves to seal the deal." 

            Kenshin promptly replied, "Oh, shit."

            The castle raised a white flag as well, agreeing to talk. The ship was so close now, that they could see the captain standing on the bow (the bow is the front of the boat).

            At the first glance, the man confused Kenshin. He looked about twenty, but had paper-white hair. He also looked very much like a corsair (coastal pirates), from his clothes and pierced ear. The ship was also a shallow-bottomed caravel, the best ship for raiding coastal areas. Caravels are light, fast, and maneuverable, ideal for naval attacks against an onshore force. However, the ship was much too large to float on a river, so he was not used to inshore raiding. That would mean that the captain and crew would not know very much of the land. 

            The ship was carrying a lot of cargo, considering how it floated low in the water. It was very close now, and was preparing to dock at the harbor. Cages containing exotic animals and enormous, powerful-looking dogs were stacked on deck. It was apparent that Enishi had sailed to many different countries. The menagerie included a giant panda from China, a pair of snow leopards from Tibet, three cheetahs from Namibia, Africa, a pair of European wolves, and many other species from all over the world. Tropical white tigers lounged in the largest cages on deck, next to their red and black cousins from Siberia. 

            They watched as Enishi strode down a loading ramp, and towards Shishio, who was standing with a squad of heavily armed guards. 

TBC…

Gomen, minna-san. I don't have time to write the reader thank-yous, but arigatou gozaimasu to everybody who reviewed, and even more thanks to those who put me on their favourite authors list.

We just did our last concert of the year today, so that means no more rehearsals until 5! Yay! I also had my maths, science, and Chinese finals, so I have more time to write. I still have Dunn's static image to finish though.

Ja ne…


	5. Yup, They Can

            an: Konnichiwa, minna-san. Sorry for the huge delay. Even though school is out, I have next to no energy left. I've been spending the last few days eating and sleeping, and have how recovered from the torture of school, tests, exams and projects ^^' I'm going to France, Cannes on Friday, for the Film Festival. I might be able to write the next few chapters there. My father will be judging the advertisements, and will be one of the four Asian representatives. There are two from China, and two from Japan. I think that it is immensely weird that both the reps. from China are actually Singaporean, but are called the 'Judges from China'. Singaporean pride *waves flag*

Here is the next chapter, enjoy!

_Sunlight and sunset, warmth and cold,_

_Four points of the compass, see the story unfold._

_Happiness and despair, comfort and pain,_

_As cold seas yield cold rain._

_Sickness and health, love and hate,_

_All mixed up by the power we call fate._

Kenshin, Kaoru and Sanosuke watched the short interaction between the two leaders from the confinement of the cells. Shishio had invited Enishi into the fort, meaning that Enishi had laid his cards on the table. 

It was evident that this was an easy profit for Shishio. He had only prevented Enishi from docking at the island out of pride and greed. Now that he could get something out of it, he was more than eager to share.

Now, all that the three could do was pass the time until a verdict was made. Sano, being Sano, slept the hours away. Kenshin and Kaoru played like five-year-old kids. Kaoru had found out that he was ticklish, and had used that little bit of information against him.  
            "Ahahahahahaha! Kaoru…yamero…onegaaaaaaai…hahahaha." Kenshin squirmed on the floor as Kaoru tickled him mercilessly. He had to get out of this soon, or he would die. Kenshin squealed again, as she poked his sides. 

He quickly solved that problem by kicking out his legs, causing Kaoru to collapse on top of him, and then flipping over so that she lay underneath him.

            Kaoru didn't feel any sense of panic or unease as Kenshin covered her body with his. Instead, she felt comforted, and protected. Kenshin was obviously enjoying himself as well; his eyes had taken on a tenderness that had previously not been there. 

Unknown to the both of them, Kenshin's laughter had awoken Sano, something that was rarely heard in the slave pens, and he watched the two with a smirk on his face.

            Kenshin raised a hand to softly stroke Kaoru's face, visibly trembling. Huge waves of emotion were rushing over both of them. The feeling was so foreign, and they didn't know what was happening. They were falling in love.

            A short time after that, heavily armed guards came to the cells. They chained, and dragged out Sano first, then Kenshin. They moved to close the door, leaving Kaoru behind. Kenshin roared out his rage to the world, and refused to budge. His eyes had turned amber again, and the fierce gaze shot fear into the hearts of even the bravest of the soldiers. 

            One of the guards suggested that Kaoru should be chained to Kenshin, to calm him down. They promptly did as said, hurriedly fastening her to Kenshin's side, then scurrying away.

            Seven other slaves were caught and chained in a similar fashion. They were then led to the dock, and loaded onto the ship.

            The ten slaves were brought below deck, and chained to the oars, two at each bench. A long running shackle attached to their ankles was held fast to the ship by a large metal staple.

            Kenshin was already chained to Kaoru, so they let them sit together. Sano was chained to the bench behind them. 

            Kaoru looked into Kenshin's eyes, partly hidden by his long, red fringe, and saw that they were still amber. She spoke softly to him, trying to lift his anger. 

            "Kenshin, I'm alright. They didn't touch me, you were watching. Kenshin…" her voice faded off as she touched his hand, which was curled in a tight fist. He relaxed, his body responding to her gentle touch, and coaxing voice.

            He looked at her face; his eyes back to a loveable violet. He saw the worry in her face, and purred reassuringly. Kaoru laughed. 

She had discovered that he purred, just like a kitty, late one night. She had woken up to his cold body trying to wriggle further into her warmth. Once she had wrapped her arms around him and made sure that he was warm, Kenshin had responded like a little kitten in a warm bed. She found that trait of his extremely adorable.

"Kawaii, atashi wa chicchari koneko…(Cute, my little kitten)" Kaoru softly murmured, as she reached up to play with his blood-red hair.

The moment was broken as one of the corsairs, carrying a long, leather whip clomped down the steps leading to the galley. He spoke in a harsh, guttural voice.

"You will live the rest of your pathetic lives down here. You will do as I command, or will pay a painful price." He cracked the whip, and grinned. "And if any of your oars break, and you think that you are free to go, well, you're wrong. The long running chain is stapled to the ship, is the ship sinks, you all with go down with it."

A shout came from the top deck, and the corsair grinned again. "Now, row!" He mercilessly beat the ones who didn't row fast enough, or had no strength to do so. Kaoru was sitting on the inside of the bench, so the whip could not reach her.

The corsair was too scared to try and hit her anyway. He had heard from the soldiers that the redheaded warrior was a fierce adversary. 

TBC…

an: So, how did you like this chapter? There's a little more K&K waff in this one. I got the purring idea from my boyfriend, who does that whenever he's happy (Joanna, I'm sure you know who it is ^^') Thanks to everybody who reviewed, and even more for the lovely comments!! Love you guys!

Skipper


	6. AN

Konnichiwa, minna-san. I am so incredibly sorry that I have not updated for so long T_T I probably have earned the nickname of the 'writer who never updates' ^_^' As I explained to a reader who had emailed me -_-' asking if I had abandoned the story, I am in Singapore now, and previously was in France, and worked on a Mac. I am fine with a PC, but lousy with a Mac, and I have no clue how to convert stuff to HTML on a Mac, so I cannot type up my chapters. I also am so incredibly busy now. However, I will be back in Shanghai on August the 3rd. Bear with me please!  
Skipper  
  
P.s.- I have just discovered that I cannot save to HTML on this PC as well…haaaiiiizz! 


	7. Land and Sea Clash

A.N.- Konnichi-wa, minna-san. Sorry that I did not update for such a horribly long time. Internet service is so expensive in France, and the keyboards are kind of messed up as well. I was using a Mackintosh in Singapore. I am lousy with a Mac. Anyway, I'm back in China now, and typing out this chapter. However, I now have six baby bunnies to hand-feed, my other bunny gave birth, so I might not update as often as I want. Can anybody help me think of names for two tiny pink ones, and one bigger black one? The rest are named Sable (black), Mocha (dark brown) and Quicksilver, Silver for short (silver).I actually find this one of my worst chapters. Tell me if you think otherwise.

_Warrior meets warrior as land and sea clash,_

_More timelines by this turn of fate will intermesh._

_Fire, water, ice and earth,_

_Four elements caught, but what about the fifth?_

_Amber to amethyst, and amber again,_

_All in a blink of a cold ocean rain._

****

            Kenshin sighed as the ship came to a stop, docking at a small inland cove. He tried not to think of greenery, fresh air instead of the salty, old smell of the ship, and freedom. Kaoru had fallen asleep from exhaustion, as they had not been allowed to rest ever since they left Shishio's island. Kenshin had kept the whip away from her, his cold, angry amber eyes scaring the overseers shitless.

Once the ship had fully docked, the corsairs had all left, talking about what they were going to do on land. Kenshin didn't expect them to leave any guard, just somebody to come back twice a day to feed and give them water. To his surprise, a tall, dark-haired man clad in a trenchcoat stayed behind. (a.n.- ok, minna, three guesses who.) He started to hand out food to the ones up front.

Kenshin tried to wake Kaoru, knowing that she wouldn't get any food if she was asleep. "Kaoru, wake up." When she just muttered an intelligible phrase, and turned away from him, he shook her gently. "Come on, girl. Chow." Kaoru slowly opened her eyes to find Kenshin's violet ones looking back at her, as sapphire met amethyst. She blinked a few times, and smiled, 'What a wonderful sight to wake up to.', Kaoru thought.

They were interrupted by the tall man handing them their food. Instead of a hard crust and a grimy bowl of water, they were given a fresh loaf each, a bowl of soup, and a cup of clean, fresh water. Kenshin stared up in surprise. The man's cold, unyielding eyes stared back at him with a hint of surprise. 

All the slaves were eating as fast as they could, it being the first time they had such good food in a very long time. Kenshin tasted the soup, and could find the flavours of potato, onion, radish, cabbage, carrots, and salted beef. It was the best he had tasted ever since he was taken into captivity. Sano looked like he was trying to eat everything he had in two seconds.

The man wearing the trenchcoat waited until everybody had finished, then announced. "Ore wa Shinomori Aoshi. (a.n.- surprise, surprise!) I am here to assassinate Makoto Shishio and his horde of mercenaries. I have impersonated a sailor on this ship. I can take on Shishio by myself, but not his army. I will need to raise an army of my own to defeat his. Tomorrow we will all leave this ship. Those who have seen and experienced Shishio's atrocities, and want to stop them, can come with me as members of my army. Those who choose to do so, be warned, for it is very likely that you will die. The others are free to go wherever they wish."

After he had spoken his emotion-free soliloquy, he unchained everybody, and the fifty-over people managed to find a place to settle down for the evening and night. Food was again handed out to them. Kenshin, Kaoru and Sano sat together in one room, discussing on what they would do next. They were all for going with Aoshi to help defeat Shishio.

One of Sano's newfound friends, Katsu, had found several bottles of sake, and challenged him to a drinking match out on the deck. He left, saying, "Don't wait up for me!"

Aoshi called Kenshin, saying that he wanted to talk to him. He spoke in a cold voice, betraying no emotion. "You are a warrior, I can tell. What did Shishio do to you?"

Kenshin replied in a equally cold voice, but which was full of sorrow and hatred. "That chicken-hearted bastard murdered my family, my village, then burned my home to the ground, along with the body of my wife. I did not have a chance to say goodbye to her before they chained me up, and killed her in front of me."

Aoshi bowed his head in silence, and let Kenshin leave.

It was dark, and only Kenshin felt and saw his tears. He returned to their room, to find Kaoru sitting slumped down on a chair, sleeping. His sad eyes immediately lightened up upon seeing her. He gently gathered her up in his arms, cradling her lovingly. He carried her to one of the beds, and laid her down. She squirmed and sighed in contentment as Kenshin covered her with a warm blanket. He started to move his hands away from her, but she subconsciously grabbed hold of them, their hands clasped together on the bed.

Kenshin started in surprise, then tried to softly pry his hands from her grasp, but to no avail. Instead, she drew their hands closer to her body. Her peaceful expression made his heart melt. Kenshin lowered his head to whisper something only the two of them could hear. "Ore wa mamoru no tame ni…zutto."

A.N.- Ya, lousy chapter, I know. Aoshi's long speech was a bit OOC, but I already shortened it by a heck of a lot. I promise he will be back to the icicle we all know and love. Yup, thing are getting better for them, but there is still a long way to go. 

Ja ne, 'til next time, Skipper


	8. Off We Go

AN- Konnichi-wa, minna-san. Can you people believe that I spent most of this day sleeping and not working on this? ^^' My baby bunnies are so adorable now, they have grown fur, and their eyes have opened. Thanks to everybody who suggested baby names, and I've named the black one Charcoal (Arigatou Kitsune Magic!)  and the two little white ones Cotton and Candy (Arigatou Koneko-chan!)

Also, for those who read Redwall, I kind of did this after 'Martin the Warrior', with Kenshin as Martin, and Kaoru as Rose. Relax, nobody who shouldn't die will die in this fic.

Tahnks for all those wonderful emails some of you sent me. I'm so touched *sobs*

I'm starting school day after tomorrow. I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry.

For those who didn't understand what Kenshin said to Kaoru, it means, "I will protect you, forever." Sorry for not translating it there and then!

The poem that I'm using for this chapter is not written by me, I borrowed it from Brian Jacques newest Redwall book, Triss. (And I think that there will be another one coming out, entitled Loamhedge.)

Disclaimer- I do not own Redwall, but Deedra gave me Kenshin as a birthday present ^^

_Were days that long, was grass so green,_

_In seasons of youthful desire,_

_Roaming over seas of aquamarine,_

_Where westering suns drown in fire?_

_Across mountain, forest and river,_

_We wandered carefree and bold,_

_Never heeding the days to come,_

_When I'd wake up, slow and old._

_Oh how the silent summer noon,_

_Warms dusty memories,_

_In an orchard, midst my dreams,_

_Underneath verdant, shadeful trees._

_Come visit me, you little ones,_

_Hear stories, songs and rhymes,_

_A roving warrior's saga,_

_Of far-gone, golden times._

            The next morning, Kaoru woke to find Kenshin fast asleep by her bed, their hands still entwined. She smiled down at his peaceful expression, his face framed by his fiery hair. His head was rested on the edge of the bed, with his other hand pillowing it.  She could hear sounds of life from outside on the deck. Apparently, many of the ex-slaves were up and about, ready for the mass exodus. She sat up, careful not to wake Kenshin. However, her efforts went down the drain when Sano burst in, singing at the top of his voice. "The sun is shining, we are all gonna get out of this dump, and you are here sleeping?" Kaoru shut him up with a quick smack to the head, and he looked at her, with an expression of mock disapproval.

            Kaoru smiled, "I'm not, but he is." She tilted her head to indicate Kenshin. Sano made a move to shake him, but Kaoru stopped his hands. "Go and do whatever else you have to do, I can wake him up."

            Sano took her hint, and went out, saying something about wanting to get something to eat.

            Kaoru turned back at Kenshin, who was unconsciously looking for her. His head shifted, and his hands skimmed slowly over the bed. A soft whimper escaped his lips, the sound of a puppy that had lost its mother. Kaoru knelt next to him, stroking his back gently, and murmuring soft words to him. He stopped whimpering, now letting out a contented sigh. 

            She spoke a little louder, "Kenshin, wake up." She saw his jewel-like violet eyes open, focusing on her.

            "Ohayou (good morning), Kaoru-dono.", he smiled, his eyes dancing with a soft expression. "I slept that late?"

            She nodded, "Hai, even Sano woke earlier than you.", Kaoru chided gently, watching as he chuckled softly.

            He lifted his head, and sat up, "We should get ready, in case something goes wrong." Kenshin coaxed her to stand, and then followed suit. They then left the room, only to come face to face with none other than the icicle.

            "Ohayou gozaimasu, Shinomori-san." Kenshin said, "When will we be leaving?"

            "Half an hour from now.", he replied, then walked off, his trenchcoat swaying.

            Kenshin and Kaoru walked around the ship, grabbing a bite to eat in the process, until Aoshi came to ask him to feed the animals.

            Kenshin walked around the many cages, throwing meat from a bucket to the many tigers, lions, wolves, and other carnivores. Sano got to feed the horses.

            Kenshin came across a cage, smaller than all the rest, containing a little, white puppy. It yapped at him, and plunked its paws on the cage bars, clearly wanting attention. It looked like a little, furry polar bear, with a wet, black nose. (an- if anyone wants to know what the puppy looks like, go search up 'Samoyed' on the net.)

            Despite him being a powerful swordsman and all, Kenshin was a sucker for cute, furry little puppies. "Aww, you're so cute. I wish I could take you with me, but I don't think Kaoru-dono would appreciate that." He opened the cage to give the puppy food, and petted its head, scratching behind its ears.

            Just then, Kaoru came in, and screamed at the sight of the fluffy puppy. "Kawaii! Kenshin, can we keep him?"

            Both Kenshin and the puppy face-faulted.

            Fifteen minutes later, Kenshin led the puppy out, a collar buckled around its neck and a lead attached. The little dog bounced happily after him, clearly excited about all that was going on. Kaoru followed, petting the dog once in a while.

            "So, Kenshin, what are we going to name him?" She asked, "He should have a name."

            Kenshin thought, then answered, "How about Shiroraion (white lion)?" The little dog perked up at the name.

            "He seems to like it. Shiroraion he is then!" Kaoru answered happily, while the puppy barked.

            Aoshi came to tell them that they would be leaving the ship now. Both of them followed him onto the deck, down a ramp, and onto a sandy beach. Shiroraion stuck close to the pair, not used to the new surroundings. Sano was already there, and standing next to him was a rather large horse. Kenshin's eyes bugged out as he saw the creature. "Sa….Sano….you are not planning to keep that huge horse are you?"

            Sano looked at him as if he was nuts. "Of course I'm keeping him." He looked at Shiroraion. "I know that breed of dog. They are small and cute for about three months, then they grow big and cute. He's a Samoyed." He looked at Kenshin. "You keeping him too?"

            Kaoru replied before Kenshin could say anything. "Definitely."

            "Cute, what's his name?"

            "Shiroraion."

            "Sure looks like it."

            Once everybody had left the ship, Aoshi muttered. "Minna-san (everybody) you are free to go. Quietly so that no attention is attracted."

            Many of the former slaves set off, determined to find their homes and start their lives anew. Only a handful stayed behind, most probably those who didn't have a home to go to anymore. 

            Kenshin glanced at the people who had stayed behind. He only knew Sano and Kaoru out of the bunch, but there was a small girl with a long braid and a tall, dark haired man with rather unruly hair that stood out of the small group.

            The girl went over to Aoshi, and spoke a few sentences. Kenshin assumed that she was the partner that he had mentioned much earlier on.

            She turned to the people who had stayed behind, and yelled, "Ok minna, we are moving out. I am Makimachi Misao, your tour guide for today, tomorrow and the many days after that. Today we will go further into the forest. Please stay in one group and follow Aoshi-sama."

            With that, and a lot of funny looks, the group set off, heading off into uncertainty. 

AN- So, how was that? It has lots more humor than usual, and I hope you like it. I am crazy over Siberian Huskies, Samoyeds and horses, so you'll see much more of Shiroraion and Sano's horse which he has yet to name in the many chapters to come. I apologize for the very, very late posting. I've been very tired and very busy and very stressed for the past few weeks, and had no time to relax, let alone sit down and write. Again, hope you like this chappie, and ja ne 'til the next one.

Skipper


End file.
